Card Selection and Display and Restoration

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/506,206 filed Nov. 10, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/536,218 filed Nov. 29, 2021 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,854,338 issued Dec. 26, 2023), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/778,338 filed Jan. 31, 2020 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,189,126 issued Nov. 30, 2021), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/131,952 filed Sep. 14, 2018 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,553,067 issued Feb. 4, 2020), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/137,609 filed Apr. 25, 2016 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,078,935 issued Sep. 18, 2018), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13,616,156 filed Sep. 14, 2012 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,320,966 issued Apr. 26, 2016);

is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention directed to multiple sequential game hands;

is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention directed to multiple simultaneous game hands;

shows a layout for a screen display for the electronic version before play;

shows a layout for the screen display for the electronic version after the deal of cards;

show representations of symbols which may be used for play of the game;

shows a display for another version of the electronic game;

shows a processor controlled display after the play of one hand of Video Poker;

shows the processor controlled display after the play of another hand of play of Video Poker;

illustrates a flowchart for a game of Video Poker; and

illustrates a flowchart for a game of Blackjack or Baccarat.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/977,138 entitled “Electronic Card Game and Method,” filed Oct. 12, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/241,644 entitled “Electronic Video Poker Game and Method,” filed Oct. 19, 2000, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/942,520 entitled “Live And Electronic Wagering And Lottery Game,” filed Aug. 29, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/229,665 entitled “Live and Electronic Wagering and Lottery Game,” filed Aug. 31, 2000, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/007,108, entitled “Method of conducting a wagering game with continuous depletion,” filed Dec. 7, 2004 are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to games. Some embodiments relate to a method for conducting multiple hands of a game. In some implementations, a game may involve a single finite game indicia set that cumulatively excludes game indicia previously dealt until a restoration event occurs.

There are many known casino games that use indicia to determine the outcome of the game. For example, many casino games of chance utilize reels displaying a fixed set of award symbols. These reel games are commonly referred to as reel slot machines or slot machines.

Slot machines can contain any number of reels, although most slot machines contain three, four, or five reels, and any number of pay lines, although most slot machines include one, three, five, eight, or nine pay lines. Each reel on a slot machine may index at a plurality of positions or stops, each of which contains a symbol or a blank. The number and location of index positions can vary depending upon the model type of each game, but all instances are fixed. These model types are determined by a variety of award tables and corresponding combinations of reel symbols. As noted above, the combination of symbols displayed when the reels index determines whether the player has won or lost.

The player may place a wager to initiate play of a slot machine. In some implementations, the player can place multiple wagers to, as described previously, increase the payout amounts, increase the number of active pay lines, or both. Often, the specific wagering structure dictates the allocation of multiple coin wagers. The reels may be randomized, i.e. mechanically or electronically “spun,” and the combinations of reel symbols index across the pay line or pay lines are examined for winning combinations. Winning combinations are rewarded according to the pay table which may take into account the size of the wager.

Some implementations of video poker are well known (e.g., video draw poker, video stud poker, etc.). In some games of video draw poker, a gaming device is provided wherein the player makes a wager and the device's processor selects (e.g., from a data structure containing data representing cards in a deck of playing cards) five cards to be displayed face up to represent an initial hand. The player selects which, if any, of the five cards of the initial hand to hold and prompts the processor to discard the remaining cards. The discarded cards are replaced with replacements (e.g., selected from the data structure) to produce a final hand outcome of a five card poker hand. The video draw poker device may compare the final outcome to the predetermined winning combinations, which may also be stored in a data structure, these combinations frequently representing ranked poker hands. If the player's final outcome matches a winning combination, the player is rewarded. Otherwise, the final outcome may be deemed to be a loss and the player's wager may be retained.

In a variation of video draw poker, multiple hands may be provided. As with conventional video draw poker, the device's processor may randomly deal five cards to a player for an initial hand. The player may select which, if any, of the five cards of the initial hand to hold. Prior to drawing replacement cards for the initial hand, the held cards may be copied into the other hands. The player may prompt the processor to discard the remaining cards and additional cards may be drawn to replace the discarded cards. The processor may then repeat the draw step for the additional hands. Thus, a player receives multiple opportunities to draw to the same held cards.

Blackjack is a well-known card game played in casinos. The object of the game is to have a final hand total closer to twenty-one than the dealer's hand without exceeding twenty-one. For purposes of calculating the final hand total, each card has a value equal to its face value except face cards, which have a value of ten, and aces, which may have a value of eleven or one as the player selects or as required to prevent the player from exceeding twenty-one. In conventional Blackjack, the suit of the cards is not relevant to the outcome of the game.

The form of Blackjack played in some casinos is played between a dealer, representing the house, and at least one player. In a typical Blackjack game, each player makes a wager in a wagering area on a playing surface. The dealer deals two cards to each player and two cards, one card face up and the other face down, to himself or herself. Any player receiving a natural twenty-one or Blackjack, i.e. a total of twenty-one in the initial dealt hand, is immediately rewarded, typically at a rate of 2:1 or 3:2, and play is terminated as to that player. Each remaining player examines his or her hand and decides whether to hit, i.e. receive another card, or stand, i.e. receive no further cards and finish play with the player's current hand. A player may hit as many times as the player wishes as long as the player does not bust, i.e. have a cumulative total greater than twenty-one. When a player busts, that player's wager is immediately collected and play is terminated as to that player.

A player may also have additional options available depending on the initial hand dealt and the house rules. For example, a player may have the option of “doubling down.” Although the availability of the double down option varies depending on each casino's house rules, the option allows a player to double the player's wager in exchange for a single additional card. Some house rules permit doubling down on initial hand totals of ten or eleven only, other house rules permit doubling down on any initial hand total.

Another option available to a player is the option of “splitting.” If a player receives a pair, i.e. two cards having the same face value, in his initial hand, most house rules permit the player to split the pair and use each card as a basis for a separate hand. For example, if a player is dealt a pair of eights, the player may choose to split the pair and continue play with two hands each having an eight and an additional dealt card as an initial hand. Each of those individual hands is then played independently by hitting, standing, or, under some house rules, doubling down or further splitting.

After all the players have played their hands, the dealer reveals the face-down card in the dealer's hand and completes the dealer's hand according to established house rules. That is, the casino uses established rules to eliminate the dealer's discretion. The dealer hits or stands as the house rules dictate and resolves the wagers. In resolving the wagers, players with a final hand total closer to twenty-one than the dealer's final hand total are rewarded at even money. Conversely, wagers are collected from players with a final hand total further from twenty-one than the dealer's final hand total. If the dealer busts, all players who did not bust or receive a Blackjack are rewarded at even money. If the player and dealer push, i.e. have the same final hand total, the player's wager is returned.

Some players may believe that a drawback to any of these games is that they are well known and may provide little suspense in play. That is, as a player plays, the game is static. Each game is a separate trial using the same base set of symbols. Additionally, while many different types of bonus pay outs have been created, some players may desire bonus pay outs created in which the likelihood of obtaining the payout increases with additional play.

It should be recognized that any game or set of games may be played in a live, electronic and/or any other version.

Some embodiments of the present invention include a method for conducting a wagering game. The method can be applied to any base game using a set of game indicia. The base game includes, but is not limited to, games in which a player plays the game indicia originally dealt, such as slot machines, lotto, Bingo, stud poker, or the like; games in which players obtain additional game indicia during the game (either at the player's option or automatically), such as Blackjack or twenty-one and poker; and games in which a player may opt to discard and replace game indicia, such as draw poker. The present method may also be applied to single player or multi-player games.

In some embodiments, a finite set of game indicia are defined. Optionally, the finite set of game indicia are ordered. Some methods can be thought of as a multi-hand game. In one optional embodiment, the game hands are dealt sequentially; in an alternate embodiment, the game hands are dealt simultaneously. In either case, the player may place a wager for a game hand and game indicia are dealt to the player from the finite set cumulatively excluding all game indicia dealt in previous game hands, if any. The player plays the game hand to completion according to the base game. A determination is made whether the game hand forms a winning hand according to the base game. In one optional embodiment, this determination may be made by comparing the game hand to a schedule of game hands. In another optional embodiment, this determination may be made by comparing the game hand to one or more other player's and/or dealer's game hands.

In some embodiments, game indicia dealt are collected and, along with all game indicia dealt in previous game hands, are excluded from play in a subsequent game hand. At least one of (1) the inventory of the game indicia from the finite set cumulatively excluding all game indicia dealt in previous game hands or (2) winning hands including one or more excluded game indicia is displayed to the player. Optionally, both may be displayed.

In an optional embodiment in which multiple game hands are dealt simultaneously, the process is repeated for each game hand. Optionally, the player may be allowed to select the order in which game hands are conducted.

In an optional embodiment in which multiple game hands are dealt sequentially, the process is repeated for additional sequential game hands. Specifically, the steps of placing a wager, dealing game indicia, completing a game hand, collecting, and excluding dealt game indicia, and displaying the game indicia inventory and/or the winning hands eliminated by the exclusion of game indicia, are repeated until a restoration event.

In some embodiments, the restoration event may include at least a manual restoration event, such as a player triggered restoration. In an optional multi-player embodiment, only one player may be eligible to trigger a manual restoration event on any game hand. Optionally, the restoration event may also include an automatic restoration event, such as the dealing of a quantity of game indicia or the conducting of a quantity of game hands. In a further optional embodiment, the restoration event includes a manual restoration event and an automatic restoration event, whichever occurs first. Upon a restoration event, excluded game indicia are restored to the finite set. In an optional embodiment in which the finite set is ordered, a restoration event also causes a reordering of the finite set.

In an optional embodiment, the player is restricted from placing a greater wager and/or altering the denomination of the wager in the additional sequential game hands. That is, in such an optional embodiment, the player may only change the wager size and/or denomination immediately following a restoration event.

In an optional embodiment directed to multi-denomination wagering, a plurality of wager denominations are defined. The game hand history is separately tracked for play at each wager denomination.

It should be recognized that all embodiments are optional whether or not they are specifically referred to as optional. A description of an embodiment is a description of an example that may or may not be included in some methods and/or apparatus.

Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout. As shown in, some embodiments of the present invention include a method 10 for conducting a wagering game. Various methods could be implemented in a gaming machine, live game, conducted via computer network or Internet, or implemented in any other form.

Some methods are directed for use in combination with a base game. The base game may be a pre-existing base game or may be based on a pre-existing base game. Alternatively, the base game may be different from existing games. Among other purposes, the base game rules serve to guide the steps for completing a game hand and determining whether a game hand is a winning hand.

In this regard, it is noted that various methods could be used in conjunction with any base game. For example, the base game may include rules for the completion of a game hand in which a player plays the game indicia dealt, such as in a slot game, lotto, Bingo, stud poker game, or the like. Similarly, the base game may include rules for the completion of a game hand in which a player receives additional game indicia, either automatically or at the player's option, such as in Blackjack or twenty-one, Baccarat, or the like. Additionally, the base game may include rules for the completion of a game hand in which a player may discard and replace game indicia, such as in draw poker or the like. Examples of such games are given below. It is noted that these examples merely illustrate how various methods could be applied to various base games and should not be considered restrictive, since methods could be adapted to any other base game.

The base game rules may also vary according to the rules determining whether a game hand is a winning hand. Various methods could be applied to any base game without regard to how a winning hand is determined. For example, the base game rules may include determining a winning hand by comparing the game hand to a standard, such as a pay table. Similarly, the base game rules may include determining a winning hand by comparing the game hand to a dealer's hand, or one or more player's hand.

The base game may include single player or multi-player games. While various methods could be conducted the same whether a single player or multiple players are playing, in an optional embodiment directed to multi-player games, an optional rule could be implemented in which only one player is eligible to cause a manual restoration event during any game hand. As discussed in greater detail below, the eligibility may rotate among the players in such an optional embodiment.

Method 10 could be implemented for multiple sequential game hands, such as shown in the optional embodiment of, or for multiple simultaneous game hands, such as the method 40 shown in the optional embodiment of. Turning first to, the example embodiment includes defining 12 a finite set of game indicia. The game indicia may take any form including, but not limited to, playing cards, numbers, Bingo numbers, slot reel symbols, slot reel stops, or any other indicia. The finite set may include any quantity of game indicia, may include repeated game indicia, and may include multiple “sets” of game indicia, such as multiple decks of cards. That is, by “finite” it is intended that the finite set be closed so that exclusion or depletion, as described below, can occur.

Referring generally to, the player places 14 a wager. In an embodiment directed to multiple sequential game hands, as shown in, the player places a wager for each game hand. Optionally, the wager may be controlled in that the player's options for altering a wager and/or wager denomination between restoration events may be limited. This is described in greater detail below. In an embodiment directed to multiple simultaneous game hands, as shown in, the present method may require only a single wager for participation or may require a separate wager for each game hand.

Returning to, a game hand is dealt 16 to the player. By “dealt” it is meant that game indicia are assigned to a player. In this regard, it is intended that slot reel symbols, Bingo numbers, lotto numbers, Keno numbers, playing cards, or any other game indicia may be “dealt.” In the initial game hand, i.e. a game hand dealt 16 immediately after a restoration event, the game indicia may be dealt from a complete finite set in some embodiments. In subsequent game hands, discussed in greater detail below, the game indicia may be dealt 30 from the finite set excluding previously dealt game indicia in some embodiments. That is, after a game indicia is dealt it may be excluded from subsequent play until a restoration event in some embodiments. For example, in an embodiment in which the finite set is a single deck of playing cards, a dealt game hand of K heart 9.diamond 10.diamond. 3 club 7 hearts would mean that these cards are depleted from the finite set and, thus, there are no King of hearts, nine of diamonds, ten of diamonds, three of clubs, or seven of hearts available in the single deck inventory from which subsequent game hands will be dealt until a restoration event. It should be recognized that such depletion and finite sets may not be included in all embodiments, and/or other methods may be used, as described in more detail below.

With continued reference to, the player may play 18 the game hand to completion according to the rules of the base game. As discussed above, the precise base game can vary and, in fact, it is contemplated that embodiments of the present invention could be applied to any base game. Once the game hand is completed, the game hand may be assessed to determine whether the game hand is a winning hand and whether the player is entitled to an award.

In some embodiments, the game indicia of the game hand are collected 20, i.e. removed from play. That is, the player does not carry any of the game indicia to the next game hand in some such embodiments—in this sense, each game hand is separate because each game hand is separately dealt. Additionally, all dealt game indicia are excluded from further from play in a subsequent hand until a restoration event in some embodiments. This “exclusion” of game indicia dealt may allow the depletion of game indicia, optionally down to zero, from the universe of game indicia that can be dealt in a subsequent game hand. That is, with dealt game indicia excluded from subsequent play, the total inventory of game indicia is reduced, and the inventory of the specific game indicia dealt is reduced, and may reach a zero balance, thereby reducing or eliminating the possibility that a game indicium will be dealt in a subsequent play in some embodiments. This, in turn, could eliminate certain winning hands from being dealt. For example, in a game using one deck of playing cards, if a player is dealt four Jacks in a game hand then a Royal Flush, i.e. a straight flush of ten through Ace, has been eliminated from subsequent hands by the depletion to zero inventory of the Jacks, unless a restoration event occurs.

In some embodiments, the results of the exclusion of dealt game indicia is available to the player by displaying 22 the constitution of the finite set excluding the dealt game indicia (or conversely by displaying the dealt game indicia), by displaying 22 the winning hands eliminated as a result of the exclusion of dealt game indicia (or conversely by displaying only the winning hands that can still be dealt), or both. As mentioned above, other embodiments may not include a finite set or excluding as described so far and/or may include other methods. Such alternatives are discussed below.

In some embodiments, additional game hands are conducted with the player placing 28 a wager, receiving a game hand of game indicia, and playing the game hand to completion. As noted above, these additional game hands may be dealt 30 from the finite set excluding any previously dealt game indicia in some embodiments. As each additional game hand is completed, the dealt game indicia from the additional game hands may be removed from play, e.g. collected from the player, and excluded from the inventory of game indicia available for subsequent game hands in some embodiments. As above, the results of the exclusion are displayed to the player in some embodiments.

It is noted that in an optional embodiment, the size of the wager in the additional game hands may be controlled. For example, the player may be restricted in the amount by which the player can increase the wager. That is, in an optional embodiment, the bet spread, i.e. the spread between the minimum wager and the maximum wager, may be different in the additional game hands than in a hand played with the full finite set of game indicia. In a further optional embodiment, not permitted to increase the wager at all during the additional game hands. Rather, the player of such an optional embodiment would only be permitted to increase the player's wager in a game following a restoration event. In other words, in such an embodiment, a player may increase the player's wager only when the finite set is restored of all the excluded game indicia.

In this regard, it is also contemplated that various methods may be adapted to a game in which multiple wager denominations are established. In an optional embodiment of such a multi-denomination game, the player may be restricted in changing denominations in that the player of such an optional embodiment would only be permitted to change the player's wager denomination in a game following a restoration event. That is, as above, in such an optional embodiment a player may change wager denomination only in some circumstances, such as when the full finite set of game indicia is available in some embodiments. One purpose of such optional wager and wager denomination restrictions are to control the house edge as additional game indicia are excluded from play in some embodiments, or other circumstances regarding a deck are changed in some embodiments.

As an example, in one optional embodiment, a player is enabled to place a wager of anywhere from one to five hundred credits without allowing players too great an ability to reduce the house edge. This is accomplished in this optional embodiment by dividing the wagers into wager denomination levels in which the maximum wager in any one wager denomination level is a predetermined multiple of the minimum wager. The multiple could depend upon the specific game; for example, in a Blackjack-type game, the multiple could be two, in other games, the multiple could be five. Thus, a first wager denomination level is one credit to five credits, a second wager denomination level is five credits to twenty-five credits, a third wager denomination level is ten credits to fifty credits, a fourth wager denomination level is twenty-five credits to one hundred twenty-five credits, and a fifth wager denomination level is one hundred credits to five hundred credits. Thus, a player is permitted to wager anywhere from one to five hundred credits, or at discrete plateaus therein, but may need to change wager denomination to do so.

According to some embodiments, the inventory may be restored or reshuffled to a full contingency before a player can increase the wager denomination. For instance, if a player is playing five credits per hand then wishes to raise the wager to one hundred credits per hand, the player cannot do so at the current wager level which would, at most, permit a wager of twenty-five credits per hand. Thus, the player in such an example would need to change wager denomination to place a wager of one hundred credits per hand. As noted, a change in wager denomination would, in this optional embodiment, be allowed if the player triggers a manual restoration event, i.e. restores the game indicia to the full finite set. It should be understood that other embodiments may not include shuffling, finite sets, and/or may include any other methods.